CPU capability

M

mairinsea

Member
Hello. I'm at a crossroads between purchasing an Axe-FX II vs. the amp and stomp box route.
The reason for this is because I'm afraid of DSP limitations.

For example: I do enjoy playing simply tones and rhythms but occasionally incorporate extreme ambiance, likened to the Strymon Big Sky and Time Line pedals.
Is is possible to achieve these types of delays and reverbs of this quality and intensity without maxing out the CPU?

Thanks for your input.

Lloyd
 
There are a lot of little tricks to lower DSP use, such as using "normal" quality reverbs vs. "high" quality (the difference in a mix is indistinguishable IMO), use the multi-delay block rather than multiple standard delay blocks, etc.

Yes, you can max out the DSP, but it's pretty tough to do. Maybe you could post an example of everything you'd possibly want to run simultaneously and someone can do a dry run for you?

Or look for FAS member Simeon, our resident FX expert.
 
My opinion is you can run 3 strymon quality (maybe even better only slightly different) effects plus amp, cab and other lesser effects simultaneously. If you calculate cost of 3 pedals alone your getting close to Axe cost.
Many things are possible with the Axe that no other solution offers, only problem is you need the know how to set the effects up.
Also is the option to put something in the effects loop and control it with the Axe

Just as with the strymon the Axe can't do all algorithms at once so set up different patches
 
mairinsea said:
For example: I do enjoy playing simply tones and rhythms but occasionally incorporate extreme ambiance, likened to the Strymon Big Sky and Time Line pedals.
Is is possible to achieve these types of delays and reverbs of this quality and intensity without maxing out the CPU?
Click to expand...

Welcome Lloyd and yes, it is possible to emulate very closely those effects.

The biggest advantage to the AFX is the diversity in amps/cabs/tones you can achieve from one device. When you get an amp (mind you singular "an"), you can limit yourself relatively quickly even with Strymon rigs.

Strymon's biggest advantage is the quality of their algorithms and the 'voicing' it adds to the typical reverb. I can tell you choosing from 20+ reverbs in the Axe-FX, you can get darn close it just takes a bit of a learning curve. Check out the wiki for more info on reverb.

CPU is not really an issue for me and only a handful of occasions I get close to maxing out it's capabilities when I use multiple cabs/effects. If I get some time I may be able to record a quick clip for you to hear.

What amps were your comparing against right now? Reason I ask is because my church uses Dr Z's and Fender Devilles, but I'll be replacing them with an Axe-FX in the coming months ;) .
 
ibanezfreak4 said:
Strymon's biggest advantage is the quality of their algorithms and the 'voicing' it adds to the typical reverb. I can tell you choosing from 20+ reverbs in the Axe-FX, you can get darn close it just takes a bit of a learning curve. Check out the [URL="http://wiki.fractalaudio.com/axefx2/index.php?title=Reverb_e
Click to expand...

I have to say, in regards to the Strymon Timeline, I used one in a side-by-side comparison to the various delay options in the AxeFxII, and ended up selling the Timeline within a couple weeks because the tone quality was INFERIOR to the Axe's. Didn't have to sell it, chose to because I'd never end up using it.
 
Wow. Thanks so much for the welcome and quick replies!

I just sold all of my gear because I got sick of it! What I had couldn't achieve what I'm doing going forward, but because I paid a lot of money for it I wanted to make sure these particular things mentioned were achievable. After reading this forum a few days and watching many youtube videos throughout the last week, my mind was pretty much made up to go with the Axe Fx II. My only concern was maxing out the CPU. I've never had a Big Sky or a Time Line but I did have an Eventide Eclipse. It's reverbs and delays were immaculate, those two pedals seemed very comparable to me. For example: having a huge "cloud" reverb with a very long decay - but being able to play another few notes before it blends into the reverb is a great thing to do. Having reverb and delays spill-over into another patch with less of the same effect and adding tremolo is too.

Again, thank you very much.
 
You can do just about anything you can dream up with the axe fx. Like stated above there are tricks to get past the CPU limitations. I will tell you that in almost all my patches I use high quality reverb and high quality preamps and still I can use delay, phaser,pitch shifting, wah, volume block, plus EQ's and of course amp and cab blocks and on most I don't hit the 90% wall. Just food for thought.
 
Rotti said:
I have to say, in regards to the Strymon Timeline
Click to expand...

Sorry Rotti, I should've clarified me more referencing the Strymon Big Sky. But yes, the Axe-FX gives you way more ways to blend and layer the delay/multi-delays to your liking [delayz 4 dayz]. Fractal's delay are certainly superb and I am a huge fan.

From the reverb side, the Big Sky just has a very unique tonal quality that can be mimicked in the Axe-FX closely. It's just the proper blending of REV/PITCH/FILTER/FORMANT to "voice" it in your signal blend.

Lloyd - you can do virtually do anything with the Axe-FX. Biggest thing is to understand that the Axe-FX a super dynamic "DIY Tone Generator" with a billion options. Check out Cooper Carter's Bank B Part 1 Factory Preset walkthrough that has some ambient style factory presets. Basically when (if?) you get the Axe-FX, you'll probably go through the factory presets to see what it can do which I did myself. What's better is to get your laptop hooked up via USB, download the USB drivers and Axe-Edit. Start building your own presets and dive in to how some of the factory presets were created to give you a reference point.

Enjoy, congrats on the decision!
 
There is a debate over what is 'normal usage' in a single patch. In mine, One AMP, one CAB (Ultra Res Stereo + MIC pre HQ), Drive, WAH, HQ 'verb, Delay, and a varying cast of other things such as Trem, Chorus, Phaser (vibe!), Flanger. rotary. The one that has the MOST runs about 88% CPU. Most hover in the 60's. But I'm not a power user like many on this board.

If you plan on running 2 Ultra Res cabs + Mic pre, 2 AMPS, 2 drives, REV HQ , 2 delays, wah, phaser, chorus, rotary, etc, etc, you're going to run into a CPU limit. IMO it's easily overcome by just using another patch (patch change latency is LOW), but others (with just as valid reasons), would rather use one patch. If you drop the HQ on a few of those things it's not a problem, but we are generally all hooked on the tonal improvements the 'HQ' moniker brings.

Just an impression from your post, but I don't see this being a problem for you. The FX are all there, but you *might* not be able to run them in the same place. But again, I doubt this will be an issue.
 
I can't speak towards the Eclipse, but FWIW, same thing I said about the Timeline applied to an H9 full version in my experience. The H9 was a great pedal, but nothing I couldn't do within the AxeFx with a little planning.

ibanezfreak4 said:
Sorry Rotti, I should've clarified me more referencing the Strymon Big Sky. But yes, the Axe-FX gives you way more ways to blend and layer the delay/multi-delays to your liking [delayz 4 dayz]. Fractal's delay are certainly superb and I am a huge fan.

From the reverb side, the Big Sky just has a very unique tonal quality that can be mimicked in the Axe-FX closely. It's just the proper blending of REV/PITCH/FILTER/FORMANT to "voice" it in your signal blend.
Click to expand...

I got that that's what you were mainly talking about, I just can't speak with any real 1st hand experience with the BigSky. I've tried/owned a BlueSky, which IMO is still the best shimmer verb out there, but I also got a really great approximation in the AxeFx using multidelay->pitch->reverb blocks. I know Simeon has a great shimmer that he's shared here that uses just the multidelay IIRC... could be another great way to save some CPU/DSP.
 
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Thank you all so much for the input and advice. I've been perusing the forum and it seems that the Axe-Fx is something that is going to take a lot of time dealing with, I like that... luckily I have a tech to deal with exactly what I want or he'll get close enough to it that I can tweak it.

There is so much information on this board, so many options and parameters that people are discussing that it seems daunting and overwhelming.
I'm sure I'll be around often after I make this purchase.

Thanks again.

Bests!
 
mairinsea said:
Thank you all so much for the input and advice. I've been perusing the forum and it seems that the Axe-Fx is something that is going to take a lot of time dealing with, I like that... luckily I have a tech to deal with exactly what I want or he'll get close enough to it that I can tweak it.

There is so much information on this board, so many options and parameters that people are discussing that it seems daunting and overwhelming.
I'm sure I'll be around often after I make this purchase.

Thanks again.

Bests!
Click to expand...

Pretty much a certainty. Look forward to seeing ya around.
 
I wonder if the FX8 can also be used to effectively control an Axe-FX & have it in the loop of the Axe. Would have massive effects capabilities with that combo.
 
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